Derby South (UK Parliament constituency)

Derby South (/ˈdɑːrbi/) is a constituency^{[n 1]} formed of part of the city of Derby, most recently represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Baggy Shanker of the Labour and Co-op Party. Previous MP, Margaret Beckett, served the constituency for 41 years (from 1983 to 2024). She served under the Labour governments of Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. She became interim Leader of the Labour Party in 1994 when John Smith suddenly died. She also served in the Opposition front bench under Neil Kinnock and Smith himself.^{[n 2]}

Derby South
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2010
Boundary of Derby South in the East Midlands
County	Derbyshire
Electorate	72,067 (2023)[1]
Major settlements	Derby
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of Parliament	Baggy Shanker (Labour Co-op)
Seats	One
Created from	Derby

Boundaries

Derby city centre has been in this constituency since 1974; from 1950 it had been in Derby North.

Historic

1950–1955: The County Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Castle, Dale, Litchurch, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.

1955–1974: The County Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Castle, Dale, Litchurch, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree, and the parish of Littleover in the Rural District of Shardlow.

1974–1977: The Borough of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Babington, Chellaston, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.

1977–1983: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Babington, Chellaston, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Peartree.

1983–1997: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Babington, Blagreaves, Kingsway, Litchurch, Littleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Sinfin.

Boundaries of Derby South from 1997 to 2010

1997–2010: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Babington, Blagreaves, Kingsway, Litchurch, Littleover, Mickleover, Normanton, Osmaston, and Sinfin.

2010–2023: The City of Derby wards of Alvaston, Arboretum, Blagreaves, Boulton, Chellaston, Normanton, and Sinfin.

Current

Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023,^[2][3] the constituency now comprises the following wards of the City of Derby:

• Abbey (small part); Alvaston North; Alvaston South; Arboretum (nearly all); Blagreaves; Chellaston & Shelton Lock; Darley (small part); Normanton (most); Sinfin & Osmaston.^[4]

The 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which was based on the ward structure in place at 1 December 2020, left the boundaries unchanged.^[5]

Constituency profile

The constituency takes in Derby city centre including much of its varied income inner-city, a narrow majority of which used to be local council-built however which is offset by conservation areas including beside Derby Cathedral and Derby Catacombs. The remainder of the seat is generally more affluent suburbs, and much of the engineering industry traditionally associated with the city.

History

The constituency was created in 1950, when the former two-seat constituency of Derby was split into two single-member seats. Unlike Derby North, this seat has been held by the Labour Party continuously since its creation.

A notable former MP for the seat was its first incumbent, Philip Noel-Baker of the Labour Party. He served as a Cabinet minister in the post-war Attlee government, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1959 for his campaigning for disarmament. He had previously represented the former two-seat constituency of Derby since a by-election in 1936.

The former Cabinet minister Margaret Beckett, who had represented Lincoln (under her maiden name of Margaret Jackson) from 1974 to 1979, represented Derby South for the Labour Party from 1983 until 2024. In 1983, Beckett won the seat with one of the smallest majorities seen of just 421 over the Conservative Party–she always achieved larger majorities since. The 2019 result, in line with other seats that voted for Brexit, saw a drop in votes for Labour, with both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates making gains. Beckett still won a majority of all votes cast, however, representing a higher vote share than in the elections between 2005 and 2015, making Derby South a safe seat for the Labour Party.

Members of Parliament

Derby prior to 1950

Election		Member[6]	Party
	1950	Philip Noel-Baker	Labour
	1970	Walter Johnson	Labour
	1983	Margaret Beckett	Labour
	2024	Baggy Shanker	Labour Co-op

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Derby South^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Baggy Shanker	14,503	38.8	−12.3
	Reform UK	Alan Graves	8,501	22.7	+16.9
	Workers Party	Chris Williamson	5,205	13.9	N/A
	Conservative	Jamie Mulhall	5,192	13.9	−23.0
	Green	Sam Ward	1,899	5.1	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Joe Naitta	1,807	4.8	−1.4
	Independent	Zephyr Tair	292	0.8	N/A
Majority			6,002	16.1	+0.9
Turnout			37,399	51.3	−7.6
Registered electors			72,952
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	−14.6

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Derby South^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	21,690	51.1	−7.2
	Conservative	Ed Barker	15,671	36.9	+3.4
	Liberal Democrats	Joe Naitta	2,621	6.2	+3.5
	Brexit Party	Timothy Prosser	2,480	5.8	New
Majority			6,019	14.2	−10.6
Turnout			42,462	58.1	−6.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-5.3

General election 2017: Derby South^[9][10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	26,430	58.3	+9.3
	Conservative	Evonne Williams	15,182	33.5	+6.1
	UKIP	Alan Graves	2,011	4.4	−11.1
	Liberal Democrats	Joe Naitta	1,229	2.7	−1.5
	Green	Ian Sleeman	454	1.0	−2.0
Majority			11,248	24.8	+3.2
Turnout			45,306	64.8	+6.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.6

General election 2015: Derby South^[11][12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	20,007	49.0	+5.7
	Conservative	Evonne Williams[13]	11,179	27.4	−1.1
	UKIP	Victor Webb	6,341	15.5	+11.1
	Liberal Democrats	Joe Naitta[14]	1,717	4.2	−16.3
	Green	David Foster[15]	1,208	3.0	New
	TUSC	Chris Fernandez[16]	225	0.6	+0.6
	British Independents	David Gale[17][18]	143	0.4	+0.4
Majority			8,828	21.6	+6.8
Turnout			40,820	58.1	+0.1
	Labour hold		Swing	+3.4

General election 2010: Derby South^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	17,851	43.3	−9.8
	Conservative	Jack Perscke	11,729	28.5	+8.7
	Liberal Democrats	David Batey	8,430	20.5	−3.7
	UKIP	Stephen Fowke	1,821	4.4	+3.0
	Independent	Alan Graves	1,357	3.3
Majority			6,122	14.8
Turnout			41,188	58.0	−6.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-9.25

The vote share changes on 2005 and the turnout figures were notional based on boundary changes.

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Derby South^[20][21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	19,683	45.4	−11.0
	Liberal Democrats	Lucy Care	14,026	32.3	+13.0
	Conservative	David Brackenbury	8,211	18.9	−5.4
	UKIP	David Black	845	1.9	New
	Veritas	Frank Leeming	608	1.4	New
Majority			5,657	13.0	−19.1
Turnout			43,373	61.6	+5.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-12.0

General election 2001: Derby South^{[22] [20][21]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	24,310	56.4	+0.1
	Conservative	Simon Spencer	10,455	24.3	−0.9
	Liberal Democrats	Anders Hanson	8,310	19.3	+4.9
Majority			13,855	32.1	+1.0
Turnout			43,075	55.9	−12.1
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Derby South^[23][21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	29,154	56.3	+4.6
	Conservative	Javed Arain	13,048	25.2	−12.7
	Liberal Democrats	Jeremy Beckett	7,438	14.4	+4.0
	Referendum	John K. Browne	1,862	3.6	New
	National Democrats	Rob Evans	317	0.6	New
Majority			16,106	31.1	+17.3
Turnout			51,819	67.8	−7.7
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1992: Derby South^[24][21][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	25,917	51.7	+8.0
	Conservative	Nicholas P. Brown	18,981	37.9	−2.6
	Liberal Democrats	Simon J. Hartropp	5,198	10.4	−5.4
Majority			6,936	13.8	+10.6
Turnout			50,096	75.5	+5.6
	Labour hold		Swing	+5.2

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Derby South^[26][27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	21,003	43.7	+4.4
	Conservative	Paul Leighton	19,487	40.5	+2.1
	SDP	Nora Mellor	7,608	15.8	−5.8
Majority			1,516	3.2	+2.3
Turnout			48,098	69.9	+2.5
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1983: Derby South^[28][27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Beckett	18,169	39.3	−10.7
	Conservative	Gerald Hales	17,748	38.4	−0.3
	SDP	Ivor Smith	9,976	21.6	+11.9
	Ecology	Eric Wall	297	0.7	New
Majority			421	0.9	−10.4
Turnout			46,190	67.4	−4.0
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Derby South^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Walter Johnson	26,945	50.0	−1.0
	Conservative	Michael Stern	20,853	38.7	+5.8
	Liberal	J.D. Somerset Sullivan	5,196	9.7	−4.9
	National Front	L.A. Verity	587	1.1	New
	Workers Revolutionary	W.A. Biggs	146	0.3	New
	United English National	J. Short	122	0.2	−1.3
Majority			6,092	11.3	−6.8
Turnout			53,849	71.4	+1.9
	Labour hold		Swing

General election October 1974: Derby South^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Walter Johnson	26,342	51.0	+3.6
	Conservative	A.J. Bussell	17,010	32.9	−1.7
	Liberal	R. Palmer	7,520	14.6	−3.4
	United English National	A.S. Ashby	793	1.5	New
Majority			9,332	18.1	+5.3
Turnout			51,665	69.5	+6.7
	Labour hold		Swing

General election February 1974: Derby South^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Walter Johnson	26,613	47.4	−7.0
	Conservative	R.S.W. Clements	19,470	34.6	−11.0
	Liberal	J. Mills	10,121	18.0	New
Majority			7,143	12.8	+4.0
Turnout			56,204	76.2	+8.9
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1970: Derby South^[32][33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Walter Johnson	19,407	54.4	−3.2
	Conservative	Royden Greene	16,258	45.6	+13.8
Majority			3,149	8.8	−17.0
Turnout			35,665	67.3	−5.3
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Derby South^[34][35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Philip Noel-Baker	21,433	57.6	−0.1
	Conservative	Michael CG Fidler	11,857	31.8	−10.5
	Liberal	A Leslie Smart	3,966	10.7	New
Majority			9,576	25.8	+10.4
Turnout			37,256	72.6	−5.2
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1964: Derby South^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Philip Noel-Baker	22,432	57.7	+9.2
	Conservative	T.M. Wray	16,420	42.3	+1.8
Majority			6,012	15.4	+7.4
Turnout			38,852	74.8	−4.4
	Labour hold		Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Derby South^[37]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Philip Noel-Baker	20,776	48.5	−5.1
	Conservative	T.M. Wray	17,345	40.5	+2.0
	Liberal	A. Leslie Smart	4,746	11.1	+3.2
Majority			3,431	8.0	−7.1
Turnout			42,867	79.2	+0.4
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1955: Derby South^[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Philip Noel-Baker	23,081	53.6	−9.0
	Conservative	Marcus Kimball	16,572	38.5	+1.1
	Liberal	A. Leslie Smart	3,408	7.9	New
Majority			6,509	15.1	−10.1
Turnout			43,061	78.8	−5.7
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1951: Derby South^[39]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Philip Noel-Baker	27,333	62.6	+2.5
	Conservative	Richard Cecil Dudley Grimes	16,344	37.4	+6.2
Majority			10,989	25.2	−3.7
Turnout			43,677	84.5	−1.6
	Labour hold		Swing

General election 1950: Derby South^[40]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Philip Noel-Baker	26,886	60.1
	Conservative	Richard Cecil Dudley Grimes	13,926	31.2
	Liberal	Lyndon Irving	3,900	8.7
Majority			12,960	28.9
Turnout			44,712	87.1
	Labour win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Derbyshire

Notes

1. A borough constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.

References

1. "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – East Midlands". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
2. LGBCE. "Derby | LGBCE". lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
3. "The Derby (Electoral Changes) Order 2023".
4. "New Seat Details – Derby South". electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
5. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 1 East Midlands.
6. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
7. Derby South
8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
9. "Here's all the candidates in Derbyshire for the General Election". Derbyshirelive. 8 June 2017 – via derbytelegraph.co.uk.
10. "Who's standing in Derby South and key info about the constituency". Derby Telegraph. 8 June 2017. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
11. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
12. "Derby South parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC.
13. "Evonne Williams". Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
14. "| Parliamentary Candidates Detail". libdems.org.uk. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
15. "General Election: Green Party announces it will contest both Derby seats | Derby Telegraph". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
16. "MORE TUSC CANDIDATES IN PLACE AS ELECTION CHALLENGE GROWS". tusc.org.uk. 19 December 2014.
17. "David Gale to stand for British Independents in Derby South | Derby Telegraph". Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
18. "British Independents – A Message from David Gale". Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
19. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
20. "British Parliamentary Election results 1997–:English Boroughs part 1". David Boothroyd. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
21. "Election history". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
22. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
24. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
25. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
26. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
27. "United Kingdom Parliamentary Election results 1983–97: English Boroughs part 1". David Boothroyd. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
28. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
29. "UK General Election results May 1979". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
30. "UK General Election results: October 1974". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
31. "UK General Election results: February 1974". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
32. "UK General Election results: 1970". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
33. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1970.
34. "UK General Election results: March 1966". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
35. The Times' Guide to the House of Commons. 1966.
36. "UK General Election results: October 1964". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
37. "UK General Election results: October 1959". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
38. "UK General Election results: May 1955". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
39. "UK General Election results: October 1951". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
40. "UK General Election results: February 1950". Richard Kimber. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2009.

External links

• Derby South UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• Derby South UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Derby South UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Monklands East	Constituency represented by the leader of the opposition 1994	Succeeded by Sedgefield

52.90°N 1.45°W / 52.90; -1.45